Genesis 8:16

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.

Complete Jewish Bible:

“Go out from the ark, you, your wife, your sons and your son’s wives with you.

Berean Standard Bible:

“Come out of the ark, you and your wife, along with your sons and their wives.

American Standard Version:

Go forth from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Go forth{H3318} of the ark{H8392}, thou, and thy wife{H802}, and thy sons{H1121}, and thy sons{H1121}' wives{H802} with thee.

Cross-References (KJV):

Genesis 7:13

  • ¶ In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;

Psalms 121:8

  • The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Genesis 7:7

  • And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

Joshua 3:17

  • And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Joshua 4:10

  • ¶ For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

Acts 16:27

  • And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

Acts 16:28

  • But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:


Commentary for Genesis 8:16

Genesis 8:16 is part of the narrative of Noah and the Flood, a story found in the Book of Genesis, which is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. This verse occurs after the floodwaters have receded, and God commands Noah to exit the ark with his family, marking the end of their time aboard and the beginning of a new chapter for humanity.

**Themes:**

1. **Divine Command:** The verse reflects the theme of obedience to God's directives, as Noah is being instructed by God to leave the ark.
2. **New Beginnings:** It signifies a fresh start for the human race, with Noah and his family as the progenitors of a new world.
3. **Preservation of Life:** The command underscores God's intention to preserve life, as Noah, his family, and the animals aboard the ark have survived the global catastrophe.
4. **Covenant:** This moment sets the stage for the establishment of a covenant between God and humanity, which is detailed later in Genesis 9.

**Historical Context:**

The story of Noah is set within the context of early biblical history, which is not precisely datable but is traditionally understood to be several generations after the creation of Adam and Eve. The narrative is part of the Primeval History (Genesis 1-11), which includes stories of creation, the fall of man, Cain and Abel, and the Tower of Babel. These chapters address the origins of humanity, sin, and the early interactions between God and humanity.

The Flood story itself is thought to have parallels with other ancient Near Eastern flood myths, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, suggesting that it may have been influenced by or contributed to a shared cultural milieu of catastrophic flood stories in the ancient world.

In summary, Genesis 8:16 is a pivotal verse in the Flood narrative, emphasizing themes of divine guidance, survival, and renewal, and it is set against the backdrop of the Primeval History, reflecting the religious and cultural contexts of the ancient Near East.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H3318
    There are 992 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָצָא
    Transliteration: yâtsâʼ
    Pronunciation: yaw-tsaw'
    Description: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.; [idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, [idiom] scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, [idiom] still, [idiom] surely, take forth (out), at any time, [idiom] to (and fro), utter.
  2. Strong's Number: H8392
    There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: תֵּבָה
    Transliteration: têbâh
    Pronunciation: tay-baw'
    Description: perhaps of foreign derivation; a box; ark.
  3. Strong's Number: H802
    There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אִשָּׁה
    Transliteration: ʼishshâh
    Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
    Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
  4. Strong's Number: H1121
    There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בֵּן
    Transliteration: bên
    Pronunciation: bane
    Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.